Interview with Vicki Lovelee

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I started music at a really young age! I took piano lessons when I was 4 and later on learned drums and vocals. It wasn’t until high school when I had to decide what I wanted to study in university that I decided to study music at York. And since then, I realized my passion for music and performing and am continuing to pursue music full time.

If I wasn’t pursuing music, I would work as a stage and event manager at events and festivals. I actually worked as a stage manager back in 2017-2019 before deciding to go the independent artist route.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

Hanging with friends, finding new restaurants to eat at, painting, spending time with my family and being in nature. I love that music is my job but like any other job, it’s important to balance it and take time to enjoy life and do other activities. Taking breaks from time to time helps with writers block too.

How long have you been making music?

I started writing music around 2014 but I officially dropped my first single in 2019!

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I live in Markham, Ontario. I grew up listening to a lot of pop radio but also loved rock and rap. I remember back in grade 7 when I was a huge fan of both the Jonas Brothers and Tokio Hotel. I also grew up learning classical piano so I think that’s where my love of using classical orchestral instrumentations comes from.

Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?

I did a show with Breaking sound Canada earlier this year. I was performing my single On Your Knees and taught the audience one of the lyrics “You’re not my home I’d rather be alone”. Having a room full of people sing my lyrics with me and singing self affirmations was such an incredible experience!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

Some of my favourite places I’ve performed was at Chinatown Toronto and Yonge Dundas Square. One day I’d love to play at REBEL and El Mocambo.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Omg I love this question! If I could be part of any lineup, it’d have female pop icons like Allie X, Rina Sawayama, MARINA and Kim Petras.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Collaboration is everything! Working with other people helps elevate your ideas! You also learn so much from them. And I’d tell my younger self to not let other people’s opinions stop you from doing what you love.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Omg this is such a hard question! It really depends what mood I’m in but I really love my recent single Hunter. I was able to experiment with different ideas in that song! The tempo speeds up faster and faster which was really fun to record. And the song is about channeling your inner hunter and finding that strength within yourself to take control again.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I love playing my songs “Guilty” and “On Your Knees”. And “On Your Knees” is actually one of my fan’s favourites!

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

Lately I’ve been writing songs about reclaiming confidence and experiencing the roller coaster of emotions we have. This is the theme of my album that I’m working on and will be released in 2024!

Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music, if so please tell me about them?

Yes! My songs talk about experiencing different ranges of emotions and validating those emotions no matter what they are. My songs also talk about vulnerability, heartbreak, self worth, learning from mistakes, and finding acceptance within yourself.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

I just released my single Hunter that you can stream anywhere! I’m currently working on a new album for 2024 so definitely keep an eye out for new music next year! I’m also doing more shows in the Greater Toronto Area so follow me on Instagram or Tiktok to stay updated!

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

@vickilovelee on all social platforms! I’m mostly active on Instagram and Tiktok!